haggle

1 of 3

verb

hag·​gle ˈha-gəl How to pronounce haggle (audio)
haggled; haggling ˈha-g(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce haggle (audio)
Synonyms of haggle

transitive verb

1
: to cut roughly or clumsily : hack
2
archaic : to annoy or exhaust with wrangling

intransitive verb

: bargain, wrangle
haggling over the price
haggler
ˈha-g(ə-)lər How to pronounce haggle (audio)
noun

haggle

2 of 3

noun (1)

: an act of negotiating or arguing over the terms of a purchase, agreement, or contract : an instance of haggling or bargaining
a haggle over price

haggler

3 of 3

noun (2)

hag·​gler ˈhag(ə)lə(r) How to pronounce haggler (audio)
-aig-
plural -s
1
: one that haggles
2
dialectal, chiefly British : huckster sense 1

Synonyms of haggle

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Verb

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Examples of haggle in a Sentence

Verb She is good at haggling. had to haggle to get his friend to sell his guitar for 20 bucks
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Former executive chairman Daniel Levy had a reputation for haggling over deals, sometimes allowing rival clubs to steal transfer targets from them. — Jay Harris, New York Times, 19 Aug. 2026 Biden-era federal policies also likely played a role — most notably the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which for the first time allowed Medicare to haggle with drugmakers over the cost of the top-selling prescription drugs in the program. — Ali Swenson, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 The 1967 drama is about estranged brothers who are forced to deal with each other while haggling over the sale of their recently deceased father’s furniture to a dealer. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 Aug. 2026 If someone is traveling with a group of friends or relatives, an all-inclusive stay eliminates the need to haggle over payment. — Irene S. Levine, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for haggle

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun (1)

frequentative of hag to hew

First Known Use

Verb

1589, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun (1)

1829, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of haggle was in 1589

Rhymes for haggle

See All Rhymes for haggle

Browse Nearby Words

haggish
haggle
haggler
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Haggle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/haggle. Accessed 20 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

haggle

verb
hag·​gle
ˈhag-əl
haggled; haggling
-(ə-)liŋ
: to dispute or argue especially in bargaining
haggle noun
haggler
-(ə-)lər
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on haggle

Nglish: Translation of haggle for Spanish Speakers

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